Quickly removable, retractable snubbed pivot pin mechanism

ABSTRACT

A quickly retractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism comprising an extendible means, snubbing means, and link nonrotatably and slideably connected to the extendible pin means and pivotally connected to the snubbing means. This pin mechanism may be combined with other pivotal structure as a storage bin, such as for aircraft passenger carry-on luggage having the axially retractable pivotal pins extendible from the bin into recesses in support structure, as in an aircraft passenger transport, in a nonrotatable fitting and the snubber pivotally connected between the bin and the pin for snubbing relative movement between the bin and its pivot pin and accordingly between the bin and the support structure.

United States Patent Matuska I 1 1 Oct. 3, 1972 [541 QUICKLY REMOVABLE,

RETRACTABLE SNUBBED PIVOT PIN MECHANISM [72] Inventor: James E. Matuska,13515 25th NE, Seattle, Wash. 98125 [22] Filed: Oct. 6, 1970 [2!] Appl.No.: 78,584

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 744,933, July 15,1968,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. ..16/49, 16/51, 16/176, 16/82 [51] Int. Cl. ..E05f 3/00[58] Field of Search ..16/49, 51, 52, 66, 70, 65,

298/22 B, 22 C, 22 P, 25; 29/265 WS; 292/175, 287, 49

[56} References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,107,122 10/1963 Jacobi..297/426 979,190 12/1910 Murphy ..16/70 3,393,939 7/1968 Jacobi..297/426 2,253,398 8/1941 Reifenberg ..16/176 1,529,235 3/ 1925Bechereau ..16/51 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,353,618 1/1969France ..16/176 525,496 5/1956 Canada ..298/22 R 617,818 2/1961 Italy;..298/22 R Primary EJtaminer-Bobby R. Gay Assistant ExaminerPeter A.Aschenbrenner AlmrneyTheron H. Nichols [5 7] ABSTRACT A quicklyretractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism comprising an extendiblemeans, snubbing I means, and link nonrotatably and slideably connectedto the extendible pin means and pivotally connected to the snubbingmeans. This pin mechanism may be combined with other pivotal structureas a storage bin, such as for aircraft passenger carry-on luggage havingthe axially retractable pivotal pins extendible from the bin intorecesses in support structure, as in an aircraft passenger transport, ina nonrotatable fitting and the snubber pivotally connected between thebin and the pin for snubbing relative movement between the bin and itspivot pin and accordingly between the bin and the support structure.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED B 3 I573 SHEET 1 BF 2QUICKLY'REMOVABLE,RETRACTABLE 1 .SNUB'BED PIVOT'PIN MECHANISM This is adivision of application SenNo. 744,933, filed July l5, I968 and nowabandoned.

.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention isclassified in Class l6, Subclass 49, Checks and ClosuresHardware."

SUMMARY OF THE-INVENTION This invention pertains to a new and novelremovable, snubbing pivot pin which maybe utilized at each side of astorage bin and which may pivotally support the storagebin so that anyand freedownward-tilting movement of .the bin for access thereof isshock absorbingly controlled upon release of a suitable latch, forexample, and thefully loaded bin is only allowed to slowly tilt .tofully opened position. But, while downward opening movement isefficaciously snubbed, the bin maybe closed or pivoted back to itsoriginal horizontal position with no appriciable resistancefrom thesnubber;

Likewise, the storage bin isquickly removeable by mere inward pulling ofknobs on the pivot pins for changing, cleaning, or repair of the storagebins.

Also is disclosed the quickly, retractable, and extendible snubbingpivot pin mechanism :for forming a highly efficient pivot forincorporation with a storage bin, particularly one for aircraftpassenger carry-on luggage, and for being mounted in a storage binsupporting structure, as in an aircraft passenger transport, adjacentthepassengers.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide aquickly removable, retractable, and snubbing pivot pin mechanism formounting a bin in a cavity.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel retractablepivot pin mechanism :that may be used with a pivotal structure thatmakes the pivotal structure a quickly removable pivotal structure thatmay be pivotally connected to a support structure.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new snubbingpivot pin mechanism that may be combined with a pivotal structure forforming a quickly and easily removable pivotal structure for pivotallymounting on a support structure with the means for snubbing the pivotalmovement between the two structures.

Another main object of this invention is to provide a novel pivotalmount that may be utilized with a storage bin for providing a storagebin that is quickly removable, pivotal, and snubbed in its pivotalmovement about its pivotal mount.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new pivotal pinmechanism that may be combined with a storage bin for providing anaircraft passenger carryon luggage storage bin pivotally mounted in anaircraft and being quickly and easily removable from the aircraft.

Other objects and various advantages of the disclosed quickly removable,retractable, snubbed pivot mechanism I will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, together with the accompanying drawings,submitted for purposes of illustration only and not intended todefinethe scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to thesubjoined claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The drawings diagrammaticallyillustrate by way of example, not'by way of limitation, one form'of theinvention wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding partsin the several views in which:

FIG. I is a side view, with parts in section, of therear portion of thenew storage bin shown in horizontal position in solid lines and inlowered unloading position in broken lines, the storage bin being shownwith the quickly removable, retractable, and snubbed pivot pin mechanismconnected thereto;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken at 2-2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the snubber of FIG. 1, with parts in section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at 44 on FIG. 1; and

FIG. Sis a sectional view taken at 5-5 on FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrated, with partsin section for clarity of disclosure, a side view of the rear portion ofthe new and novel quickly removable, pivotal, and snubbed storage bin10.

Pivotal bin 10, FIG. 1, comprises a storage bin 11 combined and mountedin a quickly retractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism '12, onemechanism for each side. While each part of the two mechanisms areidentical, each mechanism is the enantiomorphic analogue of the other.

Each snubbing pivotpin mechanism 12, FIG. 1, comprises asnubber l3pivotally connected at its upper end to the bin 11 with pivotalconnection 14 and at its lower end to lever 15 with pivot pin 16. Ashaft or pivot pin 17 or pivot pin device 18, FIG. 5, is nonrotatablybut axially slideable in lever 15. From there the shaft or pivot pin 17protrudes into a'recess 19 in wall 20 of the bin supporting structure.

SNUBBER 'PIVOTAL CONNECTION l4 Pivotal connection 14 FIGS. 1 and 2, forconnecting snubber 13, FIG. 1, to a side wall of the storage bin 11comprises pivot pin or bolt 22, FIG. 2, passing through a hole in theupper end of a piston rod 26 of the snubber, through a flange 23, andretained with nut 24, the flange being secured to the bin wall withscrews 25.

SNUBBER 13 Hydraulic snubber 13, FIGS. 1 and 3, comprises the piston'rod26, FIG. 3, actuatable by piston 27 slideable in cylinder 28. Piston rod26 has a large orifice and passage 29 and small orifice 30 for fluid topass from one side of the piston to the other.- A ball 31 is retained Iinternally of piston 27 by pin 32, the ball plugging the FIG. 4, of thesnubber l3 and the left end of lever 15, FIG. 1, the latter beingpivotally connected with pin 16, FIG. 4, passing through both andretained with locking pin or key 33.

PIVOT PIN DEVICE 18 FIG. 5, a section at 5-5 on FIG. 1 illustrates oneof two pivot pin devices 18 of the overall snubbing pivot pin mechanism.Pin device 18 comprises a compression spring 34 around an intermediateportion of pin device shaft or pivot pin 17 compressedbetween an annularridge 35 on the shaft and a wall surface internally of flange 36. Theouter portion of shaft or pivot pin 17 is rectangular shaped and to theleft of the ridge 35, FIG. 5, protruding from the flange 36, through arectangular hole 37 in the lever 15, andterminating in the recess 19 inthe bin supporting structure wall 20. The inner or right end of shaft orpivot pin 17 is round beginning with the annular ridge and extendsinternally of the bin to a round hole in the flange 36 and the shaftextends further therefrom the hole where a knob 38 is fixedly secured tothe shaft inner end. Ridge 35, with its round outer surface, slideablyactuates in a cylindrical cavity in the flange 36 enclosing the spring34. Suitable belts 39 secure the flange 36 to a side wall of the bin 11.

Thus in operation of the pivot pin device 18, compression spring 34spring urges in an axial direction the square end of pivot pin 17 out ofits flange 36, through lever 15, and into bin supporting structure wall20, whereby while pivot pin 17 is prevented from rotating, the storagebin 11 and flange 36 may freely pivot and rotate about the pivot 17.Inward manual pulling of the knobs 38 of both pivot pin devices on eachside of the storage bin compresses spring 34 to permit inward movementof the pivot pins 17, to the left in FIG. 5, a

distance of slightly over the depth of the recess 19 of the supportingstructure wall 20, whereby the storage bin may be easily and quicklyremoved for cleaning, changing, repair, etc.

OPERATION OF THE QUICKLY REMOVABLE, PIVOTAL, AND SNUBBED STORAGE BINWith a snubbing pivot pin mechanism 12 attached to both sides of thestorage bin 11 at the rear thereof and with release of a latch (notshown) for supporting the front portion of the bin, the bin frontportion immediately tends to drop down with all its weight to anaccessible position for aircraft passengers, for example, to retrievetheir belongings and/or store more luggage in the storage bin beforeraising it back to stored position.

As the bin drops, pivots, or rotates counterclockwise about the pivotpin 17, FIG. 1, which shaft is nonrotatably fitted in the supportingstructure recess 19, the lever 15 is held stationary relative to binsupport structure 20, and the snubber l3 contracts as it pivots aboutpivot pin 16, when the bin pivotal connection 14 moves toward pin 16 asit rotates about pivot pin 17 to the broken line position illustrated inFIG. I. Contraction of the snubber 13 is resisted as the piston 27, FIG.3, moves to the left, the ball plugs the large orifice and passage 29,and fluid flows only through small orifice 30. t

Then when the storage bin is emptied or refilled and raised back up tothe normal horizontal position, the

snubber is easily extended with negligible resistance due to the snubberfluid passing through both the large orifice and passage and the smallerorifice in the piston as the snubber 13, FIG. I, is actuated from thebroken line position to the right to the solid line, horizontalposition.

Thus it will be seen that the instant storage bin is quickly removable,pivotal, and snubbed in a manner which meets each of the objects setforth hereinbefore.

Having specifically described my invention, I so not desire to confinemyself to the specific details of the constructional example hereinwhown and described as it is apparent that various modifications may beresorted to without departing from the broad principles of the inventionas indicated by the scope of the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A quickly removably, retractable, and snubbing pivot pin mechanismfor mounting a bin in a cavity comprising,

a. extendible pin means,

b. snubbing means, and

c. lever means nonrotatably and slideably connected to said extendiblepin means and pivotally connected to said snubbing means.

2. A quickly retractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism forretractably pivotally mounting a storage bin in a walled cavitycomprising,

a. an extensible pin being spring urged from said storage bin into arecess in an adjacent cavity wall,

b. a lever having one end nonrotateably and slideably connected to saidpin, and

c. an elongated snubber, one end of said snubber being pivotallyconnected to the other end of said lever, and the other end of saidsnubber being pivotally mounted to the bin making said bin removably andpivotally mounted in said walled cavity and movement of said bin in saidcavity is snubbed.

3. A snubbing mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein,

a. said elongated snubber extends freely when the storage bin is pivotedup into the walled cavity, and

b. said elongated snubber generates a resistive force to compressiveaction thereof whereby the storage bin is allowed only to slowly tiltfrom the cavity to fully opened position.

4. A quickly retractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism as recited inclaim 2 wherein,

a. said spring urged pin is retractable from said recess in the adjacentcavity wall by being moved against its spring urging, and

b. said storage bin being responsive to said retracting movement of saidextensible pin from said recess in the cavity wall for being quicklyremovable from the walled cavity.

5. A quickly retractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism as recited inclaim 2 wherein,

a. an extensible pin is spring urged from each of two opposite sides onthe storage bin into corresponding opposite recesses in the adjacentcavity walls,

b. said extensible pins being retractable from their respectivecorresponding recesses by being moved against their spring urging, and

c. said storage bin being responsive to said retracting movement of saidpins from their respective recesses for being quickly removable from thewalled cavity.

1. A quickly removably, retractable, and snubbing pivot pin mechanismfor mounting a bin in a cavity comprising, a. extendible pin means, b.snubbing means, and c. lever means nonrotatably and slideably connectedto said extendible pin means and pivotally connected to said snubbingmeans.
 2. A quickly retractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism forretractably pivotally mounting a storage bin in a walled cavitycomprising, a. an extensible pin being spring urged from said storagebin into a recess in an adjacent cavity wall, b. a lever having one endnonrotateably and slIdeably connected to said pin, and c. an elongatedsnubber, one end of said snubber being pivotally connected to the otherend of said lever, and the other end of said snubber being pivotallymounted to the bin making said bin removably and pivotally mounted insaid walled cavity and movement of said bin in said cavity is snubbed.3. A snubbing mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein, a. said elongatedsnubber extends freely when the storage bin is pivoted up into thewalled cavity, and b. said elongated snubber generates a resistive forceto compressive action thereof whereby the storage bin is allowed only toslowly tilt from the cavity to fully opened position.
 4. A quicklyretractable and snubbing pivot pin mechanism as recited in claim 2wherein, a. said spring urged pin is retractable from said recess in theadjacent cavity wall by being moved against its spring urging, and b.said storage bin being responsive to said retracting movement of saidextensible pin from said recess in the cavity wall for being quicklyremovable from the walled cavity.
 5. A quickly retractable and snubbingpivot pin mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein, a. an extensible pinis spring urged from each of two opposite sides on the storage bin intocorresponding opposite recesses in the adjacent cavity walls, b. saidextensible pins being retractable from their respective correspondingrecesses by being moved against their spring urging, and c. said storagebin being responsive to said retracting movement of said pins from theirrespective recesses for being quickly removable from the walled cavity.